Continuous Integration (CI)

What is Continuous Integration (CI)?

Continuous Integration (CI) is a development practice where code changes are automatically tested and integrated into the main codebase multiple times a day. The goal of CI is to detect and fix integration issues early in the development cycle, reducing the risk of bugs and ensuring that the software is always in a deployable state. CI systems often include automated testing, version control, and build tools to streamline the development process.

Key Principles of Continuous Integration

• Automated Testing: Running tests automatically to validate code changes.
• Frequent Commits: Integrating code changes into the main branch multiple times a day.
• Version Control: Using version control systems like Git to manage code changes.

Benefits of Continuous Integration

• Early Detection of Issues: Identifies integration problems sooner in the development process.
• Faster Development Cycles: Speeds up the process by automating builds and tests.
• Improved Code Quality: Ensures that code changes are validated with each integration.

Related Terms and Concepts

Continuous delivery, automated testing, DevOps, version control.